Chapter 291: Righteousness

"How many times have the Tartars breached the passes now?"

Outside the gate of the Puzikou Garrison Headquarters, the heat was sweltering. Pang Yu had just stepped out when he tugged his official robe's collar open a little and asked Chen Yuwang beside him with some doubt.

Half a day after receiving Zhang Guowei's relay dispatch, Pang Yu received a second order, changing the meeting location from Jurong to the Puzikou Garrison Command. Two urgent orders within a single day showed how pressing Zhang Guowei's situation was at the time.

Within the Yingtian Jurisdiction lay Nanjing, the Auxiliary Capital, which was outside the Yingtian Grand Coordinator's authority. It housed a full set of central government institutions; though mostly nominal posts, the Auxiliary Capital itself was sensitive, so Zhang Guowei avoided Nanjing as much as possible in his movements. Usually, when handling Jiangbei military affairs, he would stay in Jurong, despite the considerable inconvenience. This time, with the possibility of marching north for rally to the king, he had set his station at Puzikou.

The summer river currents ran swifter, and the wind direction was relatively favorable. After only three days of sailing, Pang Yu reached Puzikou, where Zhang Guowei was already at the Garrison Command. This meeting was to brief everyone on the latest battle situation, demanding that all General Officers heighten their ideological awareness, approach this rally to the king mission from a political perspective, and have their troops make all necessary preparations. Should the court mobilize troops, they were to march north for rally to the king at any time, yet without relaxing their bandit-prevention duties.

Because of last year's Roving Bandit incursion, all deployable troops in the Yingtian Jurisdiction had been concentrated near Nanjing. Most of the Provincial Commander's Standard Troops Battalion was in Jiangpu and Liuhe, making it relatively convenient for them to head north. Pang Yu and Xu Strengthening in Anqing, however, required water-land combined transport, which was far more cumbersome. Zhang Guowei therefore specifically advised the two of them to requisition boats properly and have their troops plan a route north.

The commanders under Zhang Guowei were nearly all present, most of whom Pang Yu had met during the Jiangnan relief earlier that year. The most familiar among them was still Chen Yuwang. Having faced life and death together in the Chuzhou Campaign, their bond was far deeper than with the others. Given Chen Yuwang's experience in Liaodong, he was also the person most familiar with the Qing army that Pang Yu could currently reach.

"The Tartars have invaded several times... from the Jisi Year until now, they raid once every two or three years." Chen Yuwang paused a moment, recalling. "Twice it was in Shanxi; this is the second time they've reached the Capital."

Pang Yu breathed a slight inward sigh of relief. Upon receiving the news, he had ordered the Garrison Battalion to cancel field training and assemble on standby in all camps. During these three days of river travel, he had considered various countermeasures, but with his current two to three thousand armed men, he simply could not withstand the powerful Qing army he remembered. From what he now heard, the Qing army seemed to be a frequent visitor; breaching the passes did not necessarily spell doom.

"Brother Chen, do you think the Tartars will endanger the Capital this time?"

Chen Yuwang immediately shook his head. "The Tartars send light troops to raid. You probably haven't seen the Capital's city walls. The Tartars cannot take the Capital, and they won't assault the city either."

"Then what are the Tartars going to the Capital for?"

"What else but to plunder money, grain, and people? They're the same breed as the Roving Bandits." Chen Yuwang spat in disdain. "Just a pack of bandits, only more savage."

"Plunder?" Pang Yu pondered for a moment. Just now, Zhang Guowei had briefed them on the Roving Bandits' situation. Li Inner City and Gao Yingxiang were still in Huguang, chased into utter chaos by Lu Xiangsheng, showing no sign of being able to storm the Capital and force Chongzhen to his death. Instead, they seemed on the verge of being driven to their doom by Lu Xiangsheng.

In Pang Yu's limited historical knowledge, Li Inner City was an important reference point. The Great Qing had entered the pass only after Li Inner City took the Capital, and it was said to be connected to Chen Yuanyuan — a rage for a beauty's sake that opened the gates and let the Qing army in. Pang Yu even remembered the author's name was Wu Meicun.

Judging by the current situation, Li Inner City had not taken the Capital, so naturally Chen Yuanyuan had not been seized. That meant the Qing army's entry this time should end in failure. Perhaps it was just as Chen Yuwang said: the Qing army was here to plunder. Having reasoned out this ingenious logic, Pang Yu felt even more at ease.

"General Pang!"

Hearing someone call from behind, Pang Yu quickly turned his head and saw his old acquaintance Xu Strengthening hurrying after him. Although both were stationed in Anqing, they had traveled separately this time and only met during the meeting.

"Greetings, Sir Xu."

Xu Strengthening's face was drenched in sweat from the heat. He let out an "Ai," wiped his forehead with his sleeve, and then familiarly pulled Pang Yu a few steps aside. Chen Yuwang, seeing this, shot Xu Strengthening a look and walked off on his own.

Just as Pang Yu was wondering, Xu Strengthening spoke in a low voice. "This official and General Pang are old friends, both sharing the same boat in Anqing through thick and thin. We can trust each other."

Pang Yu did not know what he meant, but still agreed. "I hit it off with Sir Xu from the moment we met and have always gotten along very well."

Xu Strengthening nodded with a grave expression. "Look at the people in the hall meeting just now — most are under the Provincial Commander's Standard Troops Battalion. They're all familiar with each other but somewhat distant with us. If we march north this time, you and I must look out for one another and work together in harmony. It's best if we march and fight side by side. Brothers fighting tigers stick together, right?"

Pang Yu understood at once. Xu Strengthening's Wusong Troops had low combat effectiveness. Now that he knew they might be deployed to fight the Tartars, he was already terrified deep down. Seeing that he could not count on the others, he had no choice but to seek ties with Pang Yu, hoping to stick with the most combat-effective Garrison Battalion to increase his chances of survival. This also showed that the Garrison Battalion's fighting strength had gained everyone's recognition.

"I was thinking the same. Sir Xu and I are of one mind without prior consultation."

Seeing Pang Yu agree at once, Xu Strengthening visibly relaxed. Pang Yu was merely granting a favor at no cost to himself. According to his earlier deduction, the Qing army was only raiding for plunder this time. Given the marching speed of this era, by the time his Nanzhili troops reached the north, the Qing army might already have left. The overall risk was manageable, so agreeing now did no harm.

Xu Strengthening, utterly unaware of Pang Yu's thoughts, clearly accepted this favor. He patted Pang Yu's shoulder and said, "Brother Pang is a straightforward man. It's settled then — when we go for rally to the king, we must travel together... Tomorrow we still have to report the Relief Troops' rations and pay to Lord Zhang's staff. When we return to Anqing, we brothers should travel together as well."

Pang Yu felt that after just a few words today, his relationship with Xu Strengthening had grown considerably closer. Although the Wusong troops were a sorry sight, Xu Strengthening was still a Regional Commander, and having an extra ally in Anqing was always good.

"Traveling with Sir Xu would naturally be excellent, but I may need to delay a few days in Nanjing."

"No problem at all. Your elder brother has an outer residence in Nanjing — perfect for waiting a few days for you." Xu Strengthening smiled mysteriously. "This evening, your brother has other destinations in Puzikou, so I won't keep you company. Once we reach Nanjing, I'll take you to a fine destination — a fine destination on the Qinhuai River."

Xu Strengthening laughed heartily after speaking, then cupped his hands and bid Pang Yu farewell, without a trace of his former Regional Commander's airs. He chatted and laughed warmly with Pang Yu, as if the two had been friends for decades.

After Xu Strengthening departed, Pang Yu pulled his official robe's collar open a little more. The July heat in Jiangpu was stifling and unbearable, yet the hall meeting required formal dress. Zhang Guowei at least had someone fanning him, but Pang Yu had long been drenched in sweat.

Pang Ding, who had been following at a distance, walked over and said quietly, "Young Master, during your hall meeting just now, Mr. Ma came by and said he wants to host a private banquet for you this evening, at Linjiang Pavilion inside Jinling Gate."

"Will Lord Zhang be going?"

"Mr. Ma didn't say."

Pang Yu grunted in acknowledgment. From what he knew of Zhang Guowei, this rally to the king mission could be seen as a political opportunity. Zhang Guowei would likely be present that evening. The banquet invitation felt somewhat like a trap; Zhang Guowei probably wanted him to contribute effort again.

"Have Mr. Yu add some armor, saltpeter, and sulfur to the rations and equipment inventory this evening. It must be reported to the Lord's staff before noon tomorrow. If I'm to contribute, I need to get some benefits." Pang Yu glanced around and said casually, "Tomorrow afternoon, we'll cross the river to Nanjing and go see Liu Ruogu and the others."

Pang Ding asked in surprise, "Young Master, aren't you hurrying back to Anqing to assemble the troops... how come you're not worried about the Tartars anymore?"

"I suddenly figured it out. The Capital will definitely be safe and sound this time."

"But Young Master, just yesterday on the boat, weren't you already thinking about whether to surrender to the Qing army?" Pang Ding's eyes darted around. "You even talked about whether we could mobilize troops to seize Nanjing. How did you change in just half a day?"

Pang Yu coughed. "You must have misheard. A man of such upright integrity as your Young Master would never think of such things. Let's not speak of it again."

"Yes, Young Master." Pang Ding cautiously probed again, "Young Master, is this trip to Nanjing to assist the Restoration Society?"

Pang Yu shook his head and laughed. "Not to assist the Restoration Society, nor do I have that ability. But whether it falls or not, we must find a way to profit from it."

In the garden outside Mei Lou at Taoye Ferry, a group of Restoration Society scholars sat gathered in the shade of the trees. Today, however, there was no music to enliven the mood, only the incessant, irritable droning of cicadas all around.

"The Tartars have once again violated the Divine Capital. How can the place where the Son of Heaven resides tolerate the trespass of these bandit spawn?" Wu Yingji declared with fierce indignation. "The realm is shaken. We, the aspiring scholars of the Restoration Society, how can we sit idle in Jiangnan? We must recruit righteous volunteers and march north for rally to the king, to fight the Tartars to the death."

Fang Yizhi grasped the sword at his waist and stood up with a swish. "If righteous volunteers are to be raised, I wish to be the first."

At that moment, another man also stood up, grief and indignation in his loud voice. "In the Divine Capital, the Tartars invade; in the Central Plains, the bandit miasma runs rampant. How troubled the realm is! To think that the sagacious Son of Heaven, with his heaven-granted talents, is pressed by petty villains — the thought of it cuts to the bone with pain. If I, Zhou, were in the Capital, I would surely strike out with my life to avenge this great hatred for family and country. What is personal life or death worth?" (Note: Jiesheng is Zhou Zhong's courtesy name.)

Fang Yizhi clapped his hands. "What Jiesheng has said deeply resonates with me. I wish to follow in his wake."

Sun Lin loudly cheered in agreement. For a moment, the crowd was impassioned. He Houming, whom Pang Yu had met before, was also present, looking as if he wanted to speak but held back, though in the end he still echoed a few words.

Zhou Zhong waited for everyone to quiet down slightly before speaking again in a grave tone. "The realm has been in turmoil for too long. Tracing the root, it is still villains in power deceiving the Son of Heaven. Consider how, at the start of the year, the Roving Bandits reached the river, shaking the entire southeastern half of the empire. Yet the powerful traitors at court, at that very moment, instead of thinking of pacifying the realm, single-mindedly schemed to frame Mr. Tianru. This time, Mr. Laizhi has come to the Southern Capital precisely because of this."

As he spoke, everyone's gaze turned to a man seated in the place of honor. He was in his forties, wearing a black gauze cap, his attire understated yet elegant, holding a famous Xiaoguan folding fan. His expression was kindly and composed. This was the Mr. Laizhi whom Zhou Zhong had just mentioned, named Wu Changshi, from Jiaxing in Zhejiang. He held considerable standing within the Restoration Society, and everyone looked at him with respect.

By now, the topic had shifted from the Tartar invasion to the Restoration Society itself. Wu Changshi glanced at Zhou Zhong with approval, then gently waved his folding fan. "This time, the traitorous faction comes with fierce momentum. Though the Master stands unafraid, we too must not treat this lightly. Upright men in the Capital have sent word that, apart from Zhou Zhikui's piece 'Restoration Society or Questions'..."

At this point, Wu Yingji waved his hand back and forth in front of his nose. "That essay is truly unbearably foul."

Wu Changshi, not angered by the interruption, smiled and continued. "Apart from that unbearably foul piece, there is also Lu Ruohan, directed by Xue Guoguan, submitting successive impeachment memorials. The Emperor, deceived by the traitorous Grand Secretary, has sent the memorials to the relevant offices for investigation. The Embroidered-Uniform Guard horsemen have already reached various places in Jiangnan. The Suzhou Prefectural Office has been conducting inquiries for over ten days, seemingly determined to pin Zhou Zhikui's matter on Mr. Tianru."

The gathering fell silent for a moment. The arrival of the Embroidered-Uniform Guard horsemen meant the Emperor had truly sanctioned this; otherwise, Wen Tiren could not have mobilized the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The atmosphere grew somewhat heavy.

Wu Changshi swept his gaze around impassively, taking in everyone's reactions. "Fellow members of the society, there is no need for discouragement. The Master is a man of upright integrity. Zhou Zhikui, Lu Ruohan, and their ilk are but petty clowns jumping about; all their actions are nothing more than false accusations. Even with the Embroidered-Uniform Guard horsemen dispatched everywhere, they will ultimately find no solid evidence. At this critical juncture, with Mr. Tianru involved, we members of the Restoration Society must naturally not shirk our duty. With villains at court, the realm can hardly be at peace. In the face of such great righteousness, we society members must all the more stand united and support one another, spreading public opinion far and wide to reach the Emperor's ears, to root out the evil and restore order for the realm."

Wu Yingji slammed his palm on the table. "With villains at court, the realm cannot be at peace. And there are still the Eunuch Faction remnants lurking in the wild, waiting for their chance. Ruan Dacheng, Yang Weiyuan, and their sort recruit wandering swordsmen, discussing war and swordplay, forming the Qun She at White Gate to befoul people's eyes and ears. We society members must strike them down together."

Zhou Zhong and the others cheered in approval. Fang Yizhi merely echoed faintly, brushing it off.

Wu Changshi's eyes constantly roved over the crowd. Only when Wu Yingji looked toward him again did Wu Changshi snap his folding fan shut with a swish and declare with righteous fervor, "Wen Tiren calls himself a Lone Minister, but in truth he is an accomplice of the Eunuch Faction. The traitorous faction secretly gathers in the Southern Capital, plotting a comeback, with Ruan Dacheng as the chief villain. Between them and us, righteousness and evil cannot coexist."

The atmosphere in the hall was fervent, and some were already writing a Public Denunciation on the desks to support Zhang Pu in his difficult situation. Wu Changshi chimed in while keeping an eye on his surroundings, and spotted Li Lihua's maidservant Li Ping'er appearing outside the building, her eyes seeming to signal something.

Seeing that the other scholars had not noticed, he rose and went over at once. Li Ping'er walked straight behind a stand of plantain trees, blocking the line of sight of the scholars in the garden.

When Wu Changshi drew near, Li Ping'er said in a low voice, "The Mistress bid this slave inform Master Wu that she has already arranged the meeting with that gentleman for you."

"I am indebted to you, sister, for your trouble." Wu Changshi spoke hastily and pulled a silver ingot from his bosom. Li Ping'er was stunned for a moment; this Master Wu was a scholar from Jiaxing who had already passed the Presented Scholar examination in the seventh year of Chongzhen and came from an extremely wealthy family. She had never expected him to be so courteous to a mere maidservant. She then realized that this Young Master Wu wanted her to keep the secret and not divulge it to anyone else's Awareness.

She accepted the silver at once and said, "I thank you, Young Master. That gentleman will arrive by Boat for the meeting; the journey will be quiet."